BY DREW RUSSO
The last thing I expected to find when I joined the Massachusetts delegation for breakfast this morning was Bernie Sanders less than 10 feet away from where I enjoyed my sausage and eggs. After a long, celebratory evening that reveled in the nomination of the first woman nominee of a major political party for president of the U.S., his surprise visit came less than 18 hours after his groundbreaking run for the presidency ended. He exhorted all of us to ensure Hillary Clinton’s election and the defeat of Donald Trump in November. The convention reached a fever pitch of emotion the night before, when Vermont deferred during the roll call only to return at the end so that they could cast their votes for their native son, and turn the microphone over to him to do something extraordinary. He asked the convention chair to suspend the rules and nominate Hillary Clinton by acclamation, using his own superdelegate vote in the process. I can think of few more magnanimous signals for unity than that.
Former President Bill Clinton delivered the evening’s keynote. A highly personal, folksy telling of his life with Hillary Clinton that gave new perspective of her life’s journey. Democrats cannot win in the fall by attacking Donald Trump alone. There is a positive, uplifting story that can be told about our nominee. Who better than our country’s “Explainer-in-Chief” to show us how we can carry that compelling message forward.
The highlight of my evening was having the honor, or good fortune really, of standing alongside my friend Sen. Thomas McGee (D-Lynn) as he delivered the votes of our Massachusetts delegation.
There we were, two guys from Lynn and neighbors in Pine Hill who know the joys of hoisting a Guinness after finishing the St. Patrick’s Day Recovery Run at the Hibernian or a morning workout at the YMCA. On this night, we had the privilege of representing our fellow 6th district Democrats in casting our votes for the woman who should be the next president, Hillary Clinton.
What an amazing country we live in that affords two proud guys from Lynn the opportunity to do that.